Japan's Jera pledges stable power supply by using LNG-fired plant
Japanese energy firm Jera Co. has pledged to contribute to stable power supply this summer by utilizing one of the world's largest power plants fueled by liquefied natural gas.
The firm showed the Kawagoe thermal power station in Mie Prefecture with a maximum output of 4.80 million kilowatts to the media ahead of summer, when electricity consumption rises due to high air conditioning usage.
"Stable (power) supply is the most important mission," said Motoki Katsutani, chief of the power station operated by a joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. and Chubu Electric Power Co.
The plant's capacity has been boosted since its first unit began commercial operation in June 1989.
By utilizing the LNG-fired plant that can control output easily, Jera seeks to compensate for fluctuations in solar power generation, which has been rapidly expanding in the area.
This summer, the region is projected to have an electricity reserve rate topping 8 percent, a proportion necessary for stable supply.
With Japan planning to rely heavily on renewable and nuclear energy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, LNG is expected to play a key role in bridging its transition from fossil fuels to renewables.
Burning natural gas emits less carbon than most other fossil fuels and switching from coal to gas reduces emissions by 50 percent when producing electricity, according to an estimate by the International Energy Agency.
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